Common House is a collectively managed space. Currently it is organised by the following groups and projects (some groups need to remain anonymous due to safety and security).
UVW is a grassroots, independent and completely volunteer-run trade union. We were established by, and are almost entirely comprised of migrant workers in London’s service sector where wages are low and levels of abuse are high.
Feminist Fightback
We’re inspired by the politics of a range of anti-capitalist feminist struggles, and believe that no single oppression can be challenged in isolation from all other forms of exploitation that intersect with it. We are committed to fighting for a feminist perspective and awareness of gender issues everywhere in our movement - not marginalising ‘women’s rights’ as a separate issue.
Sex Worker Open University SWOU is a project created by and for sex workers. You might be working as an escort, rent boy, porn actress/actor, professional dominatrix or submissive, cam model, erotic masseuse, sexual healer or street worker; this is a place to socialise, learn new skills, and create events together. Our aim is to empower our community through workshops, debates, actions and art projects as well as fighting against our criminalisation.
[Again]
[Again] seeks to foster an independent intellectual community in London, by opening a space for dialogue, learning and the collective exploration of ideas. All are welcome: both those with a particular interest in philosophy and critical theory, and anyone with a more general curiosity for ideas.
Plan C London
Plan C is an organisation of people who are politically active in their workplaces and communities. We work together to support each other, amplify our struggles and think strategically. We want to go beyond network-based organisation, without falling back on the model of a party. We are committed to ongoing experimentation to find the forms of collective activity needed to build a world beyond capitalism.
Radical Education Forum
The RadEd Forum is a group of people working in a wide range of educational settings who meet monthly to discuss radical pedagogical theories and techniques, and contemporary issues of interest to those involved in education. We are interested in how these theories and questions can inform our practice. RadEd has published the Radical Education Workbook, available for free from the website.
No Fly on the Wall No Fly on the WALL is a platform for Women of Colour and other marginalized groups, aiming to offer a fresh intersectional perspective on Feminism today.
Autonomous Tech Fetish
ATF is an open space for gathering, sharing and making. We explore how digital technology is fetishised and how we can respond – to defetishise it or refetishise into new forms, new configurations that serve our needs and desires. In this way, we can question why technology has been made a certain way? As part of the Common House, ATF is looking to work with different groups to affirm the technological autonomy of political activism, helping it overcome surveillance and control, and ATF has set up a number of PCs in the Common House for the use of all.
Politics in Love, Sex and Relationships A monthly discussion, peer support, and solidarity group (usually last Sunday of each month) concentrating on thinking and practicing relationships “differently” (that usually means we talk a lot about relationship anarchy, ethical non-monogamy, relationships that don’t conform to the “relationship escalator” idea or other ideas promoted by the capitalist heteropatriarchy.)
East London Radical Assembly Radical Assembly meets to plan action to link and strengthen community-led, working class, liberation and social justice campaigns. The assembly aims to actively contribute to building a truly democratic, bottom-up movement that supports the diversity of existing struggles while respecting their independence. Out of the assemblies have come a network of local groups all now taking action and linking up existing campaigns across London, on issues such as housing, college closures, immigration detention, abortion rights and homelessness.
Action East End
Action East End is a local group based in East London that wants to contribute to resistance, both defending ourselves in our communities and workplaces, and ultimately helping co-ordinate activities to improve our quality of life. We publish, The Howler, a community newspaper.
Babel’s Blessing Radical London-based language school running fun, affordable classes in Yiddish, Arabic, Hebrew, Sign Language & other languages, and also free English classes for migrants and refugees.
XX - Experimental Experience XX runs transformative happenings, culturecrashing performance art and creative action workshops with frontline communities. We produce Sex Workers’ Opera - an award-winning repeat sellout show created and performed by Sex Workers and friends featuring stories sent in from around the world through arias, hip hop, jazz, spoken word, physical theatre and projected poetry. Come down to a monthly XX happening on the first Thursday of the month to be immersed in interactive journeys sharing strength and vulnerability through movement and theatre.
In Sight Theatre We are a mixed learning disabled and non learning disabled acting troupe consisting of 8 adults. Our goal at In Sight Theatre is to provide talented disabled artists with the chance to launch their careers through performing at mainstream venues and festivals and break down barriers between disabled and non disabled performers on stage. Currently we are devising and rehearsing a children’s show that focuses on inclusivity and audience interaction which we are taking to the Edinburgh Fringe this summer.
Regular community services and projects that happen at Common House (check the links for more info and the calender for updates):
Low Cost Acupuncture clinic on Mondays 12 - 6pm
The Common House Clinic is a low cost acupuncture/complementary health clinic. We set up the clinic because we think that quality healthcare should be accessible to all. There are no appointments, just turn up anytime and wait to be treated. Prices £3-5 unwaged. £5-10 waged pay what you can afford. Everyone welcome!
Community Massage Project - every second Thursday The Community Massage Project offers massage on a sliding-scale fee basis from £40/hr (high income) to £20/hr (low income) and £20/30mins to £10/30mins, enabling more people to access regular massage. At the moment we offer oil-based treatments, holistic, deep tissue, aromatherapy and face massage.
Riso Print Club - irregularly
Riso Print Club is an affiliation of printmakers who are asking the question, “What constitutes a radical print resource?” We aim to counter the norm of ‘contracting out’ print and design, and see it as a playful way for activist groups to explore their politics further through the visual language used to communicate. Introduction sessions for those new to risograph printers will happen in the first hour.
Numerous film clubs run by different groups (Feminist Fightback Film Club, Radical Education Forum Film Club, East London Capitalist Propaganda Appreciation Society, …)
The following are some of the groups and projects that have used the Common House since its opening in May 2013:
Novara, Liberate Tate, Occupy London, Right to Remain, Ain’t I a Woman Collective, Critisticuffs, BP or not BP, Food not Bombs London, No One is Illegal, Radical London, Tower Hamlets Jenin Friendship Association, AltGen, Empty Cages Collective, Fossil Free London, Gaza fundraiser, London Birth Gathering, Jewdas, AntiUniversity, Caketastic, Dost Center for Young Refugees and Migrants, Queerspace East, Friends of Joiners Arms campaign, Radical Housing Network, gng Black Queer Women in London, ACT UP London, Kids Yoga, State of Education, Political Action Reflection Group, Capital reading group, Commons Course, People and Planet, Wendy Brown School, Radical Retreat, Coalition of Grassroots Educators, um’s Ganze!, Green and Black Cross, Breaking the Frame, Fuel Poverty Action, DIY Space for London, National Coalition of Anti-Deportations Campaigns, AFed Day School, Radical Anthropology, Unite the Youth, Trauma and Wellbeing Group, SolFed, Black Rose, Self Defense Class, Nanopolitics Group, Icarus Project, Frack Off London, Coffee in Common, various talks, book launches and fundraising parties.